A Tiny Package Packed with Flavor – California Raisins Review

With high fructose corn syrup, high levels of sugar, and gosh knows what else filling the snack shelves in the grocery store, it seems practically impossible for snacking to be healthy. Somehow I don’t picture a doctor ever telling me, “You know, you should add more fruit roll ups to your diet.” (As much as I might wish that he would.) The problem is that I’m a snacker. Pretzels, chips, peanuts, cookies – you name it and I’ll snack on it. Fortunately, there are foods out there that are perfect for snacking and are actually healthy for you. One such food is the humble California Raisin.

If you didn’t know, raisins are basically dried (sun-dried or dehydrated) grapes. Using different grapes will produce different types of raisins. Because they are essentially a dried fruit, raisins naturally offer many health benefits. Just a 1/4 cup of California Raisins equals a serving of fruit for adults. Fat-free and cholesterol-free, raisins also contain fiber, potassium and are high in antioxidants. Studies have shown other health benefits ranging from decreased LDL cholesterol levels to benefits to colon function.

There are a lot of factors beyond just nutrition that make California Raisins ideal for snacking. First, they are perfect for holding in your hand – they’re small (but not too small) and won’t melt in your hand. Second, they give you a nice little burst of energy, since they are high in fructose and glucose. Raisins are also very high in the flavor area. One little raisin gives you a whole lot of flavor.

We used some California Raisins to make an amazing snack-mix for a Saturday night hang-out session. Using California Raisins, a bunch of spices, popcorn, and other goodies, we snacked on the California Raisins Five-Spice Popcorn Snack Mix for several hours. I was surprised at home much the raisins brought to the table for this mix. The mix itself is a little spicy (with five-spices and cayenne pepper, it was kind of expected.) But if you made sure to include a raisin in every bite of mix, it brought an amazing “meatiness” and fullness to each bite. While you might not be sure how you feel about the mix when you first taste it, you’ll realize that you’ve been subconsciously eating it for 30 minutes without realizing it. (Yes, that actually happened to me.)

I’ll be honest that while (I’m told) I ate raisins with a passion as a child, I don’t even recall intentionally eating a raisin within the last decade. Yes – I was even one of those people who would pick out the raisins from their oatmeal cookies. But I can honestly say, after re-visiting the California Raisins, I don’t feel the need to de-raisin my cookies anymore. The California Raisins provides a flavorful, convenient, and healthy snack in a tiny bite-sized package.

For more information about California raisins, additional recipes, and healthy eating tips please visit www.LoveYourRaisins.com. The recipe for the California Raisins Five-Spice Popcorn Snack Mix that we made is below. If you would like to make this for your family, you can enter the WCatDD California Raisin Giveaway! (Giveaway info is after the recipe.)

One winner will receive all of the ingredients needed to make their own California Raisins Five-Spice Popcorn Snack Mix.

This giveaway is now closed

Disclaimer: This post consists of my (and/or fellow tester) opinions only. Your experiences may be different. No compensation was given for this review/giveaway. I did receive free raisin products and ingredients to make the mix from the manufacturer or their representing PR agency to use and test for the purposes of this review. This did not affect the outcome of this review.

I learned that California Raisins are naturally sweet, fat- and cholesterol- free, and they contain antioxidants and fiber. But the health benefits of raisins don’t stop there. Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that walking and daily consumption of raisins (1 cup) decreased low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, so-called “bad cholesterol,” levels in the blood stream decreasing the risk for heart disease. If that isn’t enough, following are just a few more reasons to fall in love head over heels for raisins.

I learned that California Raisins are naturally sweet, fat- and cholesterol- free, and they contain antioxidants and fiber. But the health benefits of raisins don’t stop there. Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that walking and daily consumption of raisins (1 cup) decreased low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, so-called “bad cholesterol,” levels in the blood stream decreasing the risk for heart disease. If that isn’t enough, following are just a few more reasons to fall in love head over heels for raisins.

What might seem like a random mix of ingredients, turns out to be a surprisingly tasty and enjoyable snack. After my first mouthful, the jury was still out. But after I had a moment to appreciate the explosion of all the different flavors, the snack mix really grew on me.

What might seem like a random mix of ingredients, turns out to be a surprisingly tasty and enjoyable snack. After my first mouthful, the jury was still out. But after I had a moment to appreciate the explosion of all the different flavors, the snack mix really grew on me.

about Miriam

Hi there! I'm Miriam - graphic designer, entrepreneur, and author of The WiC Project - a faith-based online lifestyle blog. Whether it's trying a new recipe in the kitchen or testing out the latest product, we love sharing our honest reviews and opinions. We invite you to kick back, brew up a cup of Vanilla Chai, and join the conversation!

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“The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”